Wind-motor



2 SheetsSheet 1.

"(No Model.)

H. OTTO. WIND MOTOR.

Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

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N. PETERS, PhcmLnnographer. Wuhingtun. DJ}.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-*Sheet' 2. H. OTTO.

WIND MOTOR. No. 419,345. Patented Jan. 14, 1890,

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N YETERS, Phalmuihogmpher, Wzimnktnn. D. C.

UNITED STATES ATENT Grrrcn.

HENRY OTTO, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

WIND-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1101419345, dated January 14, 1890.

Application filed November 8, 1889- Serial No. 329,624. (No model.)

.To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY OTTO, of Bloomington, in the countypf McLean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wind-Motors, of which improvements the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to apparatus for the utilization of the pressure of wind as a motive power in mechanical operations, and its object is to provide a motor of such type in which the following advantages may be afforded, to wit: the effective application of a materially greater degree of wind-power than has heretofore been practicable, proper regulation of speed of the motor and driven mechanism, protection of the working parts from exposure and resultant damage, convenient facilities for stopping, locking, and releasing,

and provision for compression of the air acting upon the wings or blades in operation.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel devices and combinations hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aview in perspective of a wind-motor embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same with the top plate removed; Fig. 3,a view in perspective of the wing-spindles, driving-shaft, and intermediate gearing; Fig. 4, a similar view illustratingr -the front and side walls, regulating doors, and connections; Fig. 5, a similar View of the regulating mechanism; Fig. 6, a similar'vi'e'w of one of the wingspindles and its driving-wings; Fig. 7, alo'ngitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through one of the adjustable springs, illustrating its connection to the adjacent inclined guidingwall; and Fig. 8, a vertical section through the bearings of one'of the wing-spindles and of the intermediate pinion-shaft.

In the practice of my invention I provide a casing of substantial sheet metal, composed of a cap or top plate 1 and a bottom plate 2,

which are connected by a series of vertical wall-sections 3, 4, and 8, the two walls 4: at thev front of the casing, or that side thereof which is directed toward the wind in operation, being united one to the other at their center of the case, in order to direct the wind to the outer wings of a pair of wing-spindles to be presently described. The two outer walls 8, opposite the walls 4, are substantially parallel with and are located at opposite sides of and at equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the case, their front ends being about in line with the junction of the middle walls a and extending rearwardly to the forward ends of movable side doors to'be' presently described.

Two vertical wing-spindles 5, each carrying a series of vertical driving wings or blades 6, by the pressure of the wind upon which the motor is actuated, are mounted in suitable hearings on the top and bottom plates 1 2, and in a cast-metal bearing-frame 7, secured upon the lower side of the bottom plate. The axes of the spindles 5 are located in the transverse center line'of the casing on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line and at equal distances therefrom, and the spindles, which are adapted to rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, are set at such distance apart as will enable their respective wings to overlap and clear each other in their rotation, the relation of the wings of the respective spindles tending to drive the air inclosed between them toward the front of the casing and into the current of air flo'wingin on opposite sides of the inclined walls 4, "by which. current it is drawn out of the casing, thus completely counteracting the reaction of the wind on the wings 6. The wing-spindles 5 are geared to an interposed vertical driving-shaft 9,

which is journaled in a fixed standard or doors 13, the rear sides of which are hinged or pivoted in vertical planes to the wall-sectheir plates to the wall-sections 3 in rear of and outside of those to which the front doors 13 are hinged, said side doors, when in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, opening wind-inlets between the outer front walls 8 and the doors 1 l3, and forming continuous side walls from the rear sides of the walls 8 to the wall-sections 3 nearest the rear of the casing.

fora distance about equal to the length of the latter.

The curve of their rear or shorter plates is con centric with the path of the outer edges of the wings, in order to converge the wind to the outletspaces 15, which are formed between the wall-sections 3 nearest the rear: of 'thecase, and two short rearwardly-inclilied wall-sections 16, connected to a vertical tail-j piece or rudder 17, secured to the top and bottom plates 1 2 in the longitudinal central planeof the casing and extending rearwardly j The area of the outlet-spaces is;

made about one-third less than the aggregate areas of the four inlets, in order to cause a= corresponding degree of compression and 'inoperation.

crease of force of the wind in the case during l Two horizontal regulating-arms 18 are .piv-

oted at their front ends in a-stand 19 between the inclined front walls 4 of the casin g, said arms carrying segmental gears 20, 0011-. centric with their pivots, which gears engage one with the other to :cause coincident move-; ment of the regulating-arms in opposite .di-E

rections.

The regulating-arms are coupled by rods or links 21, passing through openings i in the walls4 to'the front regulating-doors 13,

and are-also coupled by rods 22 to theside The two pairs of doorsi regulating-doors 14.

13 and 14 are thus caused to move inwardlyv and outwardly in unison, decreasing or in-; creasing the area of the wind-inlets to the casing.

In order to reduce friction, the regulatingarms are supported on rollers 23, which traverse on curved guideways 24,'fixed between the walls 4:.

During moderate or normal pressure of wind the doors are held open, or in the position shown in Fig. 2, by adjustable springs 25, one of which is connected to the outer side of each of the walls at and bears at its free endagainst-the inner side of the adja- 'In order to reduce the vibrathey are each cent door 13. tory motion of said springs,

the inside of the front walls 4.

during operation. Excess of wind-pressure upon the front regulating-doors 13 forces them inwardly, correspondingly reducing the areas of wind-inlet between said doors and the walls 4, the arms 18 coincidently drawing inwardly the side doors 14 and reducing the areas of wind-inlet on the outer sides of the doors 13. The reduction of pressure upon the wings 6 thereby effected serves to regulate and maintain a uniform speed of the wing-spindles, proper increase of inlet area being again made by the action of the springs 25 upon a diminution of wind-pressure. As the forward ends of the side doors 14 are drawn inward by excess of pressure, their rear ends are forced outward, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.2,lthereby providing alateral opening on each side of the casing, said openings serving for the relief of surplus pressure in the casing, and the rear portions of the doors 14 when thus opened present inclined planes to the wind on the outside of the casing, the pressure of which acts, in conjunction with the springs 25, in reopening the doors when the incline of the front doors 13 induces greater wind-pressure than can be overcome by said springs.

Two locking-levers 26, each actuated by a weight 27, or equivalently bya spring, :are pivoted on the bottom plate 2 of the casing, each of said levers havi-ngaforked frontend, which fits between collars on a verticallymovable lockingwpin 28, the pins 28 beingfitted to slide in the bottom plate 2 at short distances from the outs'ideof the walls 4, and to arrestthe motion of the doors 13 when blown inward by excess of wind-.pressure so as to still allow a suflicient space of wind-inlet to operate the wings (5 even during averyheavy wind. The tops of the locking-pins inlay be beveled orinclined on their outer sides in the manner of a lock -bolt, and corresponding shoulders ifixed upon the doors 13, so that in the event of a hurricane said doors, on being blown inward, would press down the lockingpins and lock themselves in closed position. The rear ends of the locking-levers areconnected with the regulating-levers 18 by a rope 29,passingaroundguide-pulleys 30, journaled on the bottom plate behind the levers,.and thence through opeuingsin the bot-tom plate, around guide-pulleys 31 above the same, and arouud'lateralguide-pulleys 32, journaled on The rope 29 passes around a roller 33, which swings below the bottom plate, and is provided with a handle 34, in order to 'keep the rope properly stretched and to enable it tobe pulled by the operator. Bv pulling the handle 34: downwardly the regulating-levers 18 maybe drawn inwardly and one across the other, as shown in Fig. 4, and by drawing down the lockingpins 28 flush with the bottom plate byapull on the front part o'f-the rope, and closing the doors entirely by an additional pull on the rear part and releasing the front part, the projecting ends of the locking-pins will lock:

of the rope 29, when the springs 25, acting on the doors 13, will push them outward and open, and coincidently open the side doors 14 through the regulating-arms and connecting-rods.

The casing of the motor is supported upon a suitable circular bearing-plate 35, fixed to the post or standard 10 by a series of rollers 36, j ournaled in the lower portion of the bearing-frame 7, which is connected to the bottom plate 2. The rollers 36 are preferably provided with flanges adapted to bear against one side of the plate 35, on which they traverse, in order to reduce horizontal friction, in order that the tail-piece or rudder may readily swing the casing into operative position. A lower series of rollers 37, also journaled in the bearing-frame 7, bears against the lower side of the bearing-plate 35, in order to'prevent the casing from being lifted therefrom by the wind.

The top plate 1 extends in advance of the bottom plate, so as to serve as a roof for the protection of the parts in wet weather, and is properly secured to the wall-sections by bolts and nuts. The bottom bearings of the wingspindles and driving-shaft are threaded at and near their lower ends, and engage adj ustable steel set-screws 38, secured by jamnuts 39.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing provided with front inlet and rear outlet openings, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, and a driving-shaftgeared to and rotated by the spindles,substantially as set forth.

2. In a wind-motonthe combination of a casing, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spindles, inclined front guiding-walls adapted to direct wind entering the casing to the wings toward the sides of the casing, and side walls adapted to direct the discharge of wind from the casing toward the center line thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing, two spindles j ournaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spindles, inclined front guiding-walls adapted to direct wind entering the casing to the wings toward the sides of the casing, side walls adapted to direct the discharge of wind from the casing toward the center line thereof, and

pivoted regulating-doors controlling the ad mission of wind to the casing, substantially as set forth.

4C. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of Wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spindles, front wind-inlet passages formedin the vertical walls of the casing, and rear windoutlet passages also formed in said'vertical walls and of reduced area relatively to the inlet-passages, substantially as set forth.

5. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spin-. dles, pivoted regulating-doors controlling the admission of wind to the casing, and springs bearing on said doors and 011 the casing, substantially as set forth.

6. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spindles, pivoted regulating-doors controlling the admission of wind to the casing, springs bearing on said doors and on the casing, lockingpins working in the casing and adapted to hold the doors in or near closed position, and hand-actuated locking-levers effecting the movement of the locking-pins into locking.

position, substantially as set forth.

7. In a wind-motor, the combination of a casing, two spindles journaled vertically therein and carrying a series of wings which overlap in the rotation of the spindles, a driving-shaft geared to and rotated by the spin-' dles, inclined front guiding-walls adapted to direct wind entering the casing toward the sides thereof, sectional side walls connecting the top and bottom of the casing in rear of the front walls, pivoted front regulating-doors controlling the inlet-passages adjacent to the front walls, springs fixed to the casing and bearing outwardly on said doors, pivoted side regulating-d oors controlling the inlet-passages adjacent to the side walls, two regulatingarms pivoted in the casing and geared one with the other, and rods coupling the front and side door-s to the regulating-arms, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a top casing-plate, a

bottom casing-plate, two inclined front verti- IIO tom casing -plates, the Wing-spindles and wings, the driving-shaft, the intermediate gearing, the inclined front walls the side wall-sections, the pivoted front and side regulating-doors, the regulating-arms and their connecting gears and rods, and the Wall-sections extendingin advance of the side regulating-doors and opposite the front regulating-doors, substantially as set forth.

HENRY OTTO.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM B. CARLOCK, RICHARD L. CARLOOK. 

